Filipino maid arrested for alleged child abuse released on police bail

by Vir B. Lumicao

UPDATED  

Tai Po District Police is investigating the case

 

A Filipina domestic worker in Sheung Shui was freed on police bail late Friday June 1) night after being investigated for more than 24 hours for allegedly hitting her four-year-old male ward.

Michelle M. Legion, 29, was granted $500 bail while police continue their investigations. No charges were filed against her.

One of her friends told The SUN Legion was told by police that if her employer does not pursue the complaint  within three weeks the case will be dropped.

Legion, who has been given shelter at the Filipino Workers Resource Center in Sheung Wan, has reportedly denied the accusation.

Some of her friends who often saw her with her ward also told The SUN that the child was affectionate towards the helper, and she in turn was devoted to him.

Her friends panicked when they could no longer reached her after she secretly called them from the Sheung Shui police substation to say she had been detained.  They contacted the Consulate, which at first could not give any information as to her whereabouts.

Acting on the information, The SUN made inquiries with the Police Public Relations Branch. A spokeswoman confirmed Legion was arrested and later taken to the Tai Po police station after receiving a complaint from her female employer at 7:55pm  Thursday.

Officers who went to the employers’ flat at Green Code, a residential estate at Ma Sik Road in Fanling, reportedly found the boy with injuries on his back and bottom.  But it was not immediately clear whether the boy was hit, and who did it.

The police spokeswoman said the helper was arrested for suspected cruelty to a child.

The officers sent the boy, who was in a conscious state, to North District Hospital in Sheung Shui for medical treatment before transferring him to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in Tai Po.

The spokeswoman said investigators from the District Investigating Team 4 of Tai Po Police are following up the case.

Hongkong Airlines starts daily flights to Manila

Tang King Shing (fourth from left), vice chairman of Hongkong Airlines, leads the inauguration ries for the new flights to Manila.

Hongkong Airlines started daily flights to Manila tonight, with a full maiden flight leaving at 9:30 pm.The same Airbus A320 plane leaves for Hong Kong at 3 am. tomorrow.

Tang King Shing

This is the fourth route launched by the full-service airline this year, following the inauguration of services to Maldives, San Francisco and Moscow, according to Tang King Shing, vice chairman of Hongkong Airlines.


"Manila represents a, exciting new market for Hongkong Airlines," Tang said during ceremonies to launch the inaugural flight.  

He noted the steady increase in travel between the two places over the years, with over 900,000 visitors from the Philippines arriving in Hong Kong in 2017.

"The new daily service is aimed to meet the increasing travel demands from the Philippines to Hong Kong,"he added. 

As an aside, Tang also said he spent his honeymoon in Manila.

Consul Paulo Saret

Consul Paulo Saret, who represented the Philippine Consulate General, said that with the new service, "we hope that more peole from Hong Kong, this time, will visit the Philippines."

He asked Hongkong Airlines to help promote the Philippines as a destination for Hong Kong people.
Sarest said Filipinos now working in Hong Kog will also welcome the new services because it will widen their choice of airlines and hopefully, lower fares due to increased competition.

The ceremonies were also attended by C.K. Ng, executive director of the Airport Authority of Hong Kong; Henry Ma, managing director of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd., and Dennis Choy, the airline's general manager for communication.

A check with the airline's website, however, indicated that tickets to Manila were not yet available to those booking flights online.

Pinoy boat driver dies after allegedly taking 'zombie drug'

By Vir B. Lumicao

Video shows Jay B being restrained by police

A Filipino boat driver in Saikung reportedly died in hospital on Wednesday while being treated for the effects of flakka, also known as the “zombie drug” because users exhibit bizarre, zombie-like behavior and unusual strength.

Reports reaching The SUN said the victim, Jay B., had not eaten or slept for two days and was staggering, jerking and dancing uncontrollably on Tuesday because of the effects of the drug.

A video that was circulated in the community showed the victim being restrained by a police officer on a Saikung boardwalk while he shook and mumbled incoherently.

A Facebook post accompanied by the video footage and a still photograph of the victim said Jay B. was taken by the police to an unnamed hospital, but died after being attended to by hospital staff.

But the exact cause of his death was not immediately known.

Jay B. appeared to be quite well known to members of a Filcom group with political leanings.

The Consulate’s assistance to nationals section said Jay B. was a dependent visa holder who was driving a boat for a living in Saikung, where he and his wife lived.

The ATN officer said it was the victim’s wife who reported his death to the Consulate.

But an officer at the Police Public Relations Branch said on Thursday evening that they had not received any report about the incident. He however, said, he would male further inquiries.

Flakka is reported to have come out in the market in 2014, but it was only in recent months that its potent effects became well known after videos showing abusers in the United States and Brazil acting strangely were posted on the internet.

Drug users reportedly take flakka to get a feeling of euphoria, a heightened sense of awareness, stimulation and energy.

Some of the victims were shown to have hurled themselves onto car windshields or attack other people, although most just twitched uncontrollably and had to be held down until they could be given help.

It appears relatively new in Hong Kong, although there are reports the drug could easily be ordered online from China.

The synthetic psychoative drug is also known by its street name krokodil.

Filipino fined $1k for carrying tear gas, baton in luggage

By Merly T

File photo of tear gas canisters

Bunda

A Filipino who was on a layover in Hong Kong ended up being detained after he was found to have a tear gas canister, an extendable baton, a flashlight and a pair of handcuffs in the luggage he was carrying for his onward flight to London on May 13.

According to Rafael Revilla Flogo, a 30-year-old security guard from Marinduque, he brought the said items at the request of his employer in Britain who had recruited him to work in an island off London that he was developing.

Flogo said he did not know that the items are not allowed to be brought into Hong Kong.

After paying a fine of $1,000, Flogo was released, and he flew on to London on May 26. He was given shelter by a group of overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong while waiting for his employer to buy him a new ticket.

Chek Lap Kok Airport

He said he was ordered by the police to return to Hong Kong in November to attend a seminar on the law forbidding the transport of explosive materials into the city. If he fails to attend the seminar, he will not be allowed to enter Hong Kong again.

According to Flogo, who is married with two children, he worked for seven years as a security guard in Taguig City. He was subsequently recruited by an employment agency to work in the island of Thurks in Britain, which was being developed by a Canadian.

Sample of an extendable baton

He was supposed to fly to Britain with two other recruits late on May 12 but his companions were not able to book the same flight.

Before leaving Manila, he said his employer asked if he could buy the tear gas and other items, and bring them to Britain in his luggage. Flogo said he asked his former boss at the security firm if he could do this, and he was assured it was alright.

Early on May 13, as he was making his way to the gate for his connecting flight, he said he heard his name being called over the airport’s public address system. It turned out security personnel had found the banned items in his luggage and wanted to question him.

He was arrested at the airport and questioned for 12 hours before being charged with possession of arms without a licence. Fortunately, he was allowed to make a phone call to his employer in Britain so he was able to relay his predicament.

Police took him to the West Kowloon magistracy early on May 14 where he pleaded guilty to the charge of carrying the banned items, then paid the $1,000 fine.

Flogo was told Hong Kong has very strict laws against bringing in arms, ammunition and exlosives, including the items found in his possession. The prohibition also extemds to bullets, whether live or empty, and arnis sticks or chako.

Flogo stayed with a group of kindly Ilongga OFWs for about a week while his employer booked his onward flight.

He was warned by police that should his colleagues try to bring in the same prohibited items from Manila they would surely be arrested and jailed.

Flogo has asked that the warning be relayed to other Filipinos, now well aware that not knowing about Hong Kong’s laws could not be used as an excuse for avoiding legal liability.

Filipina cricketeers set to claim league crown

By Vir B. Lumicao

Divas team captain and 2-time MVP Josie Arimas packs a big wallop

 The first Filipino women’s cricket team comprising domestic workers in Hong Kong is well on its way to becoming the champion of this season’s Cricket Hong Kong Women’s Development League.

The SCC Divas, comprising 25 players, are already the sure winners even as they still have to play their last two games of the season this coming Sunday, June 3, at Po Kong Village Road Park in Tsz Wan Shan.

After a clean sweep of all their seven games in the past four Sundays, the Divas can lose both games and still emerge the league winners.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       “Sa June 3, two games left, win or lose champion na kami. Pero sabi ng coach talunin pa rin sila para ma-satisfy siya,” team captain Josie Arimas said, after back-to-back wins on May 27.  The Divas beat Hong Kong Cricket Club by 49 runs in the morning match, and nailed a 53-run victory over Craigengower Cricket Club in the afternoon.

At the end of the day, the scorecard was HKCC 76/4 and SCC Divas 125/5 for the first game. It was 157/2 for SCC Divas and 104/1 for CCC in the second game.

The Divas, mostly ex-league players in baseball and softball, with their manager Animesh Kulkarni 

Arimas was picked the most valuable player of the day, a repeat of her May 6 feat when she was chosen as MVP in the Divas’ first game in the league.

This is the Filipina team’s first-ever participation in the league since it was formed in May last year by Arimas, a Palarong Pambansa baseball star who began playing for HKCC in January 2015.

The Divas made their presence felt in Hong Kong cricket on May 6 when Arimas led the team to an 85-run win over CCC, scoring 28/2 to take the MVP of the day plum. The Divas were 122/3 in 16 overs against CCC, which finished with 37/8.

Team manager Animesh Kulkarni, an officer of The Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers (Hong Kong, China), told The SUN the Filipinas are strong players.

“They practice only once a week on their day off but they play like veterans and beat their younger rivals,” he said.

After his wards’ triumph on May 27, Kulkarni said he would upgrade them to the T20 League from the Development division, the league for 16-over matches for newcomers, Arimas said. She said T20 is a bracket where the game is played in 20 overs. 

It was Kulkarni who encouraged Arimas to form the SCC Divas last year in preparation for this year’s league. With patient training by coach Najeeb Amar and British head coach Ricky Waite of Hong Kong’s national team, the Divas honed up their skills in a relatively short time.

Divas get free coaching from Ricky Waite of the HK National team

This flexibility was attributed by both Arimas and Waite to the women’s previous sports, baseball and softball, where they played for Philippine Sluggers and Fate, respectively, before wading into cricket.

“Their skill level is very high,” Waite told The SUN after the maiden match on May 6. “They’re simply fantastic. They played naturally,” Waite said, noting their eye coordination when they throw the ball.

Arimas said Waite told the Divas they are amazingly strong whackers, but that they still need to train on how to stop a strong bowl.

Kulkarni and Waite said they wanted the team to be recognized by the Philippine Cricket Club so that the Divas could play friendly matches with their Manila counterparts.  

The victory trail:

May 6 Game 1 – SCC Divas won on Lantau Team no show

Game 2 – SCC Divas 122/3 beat CCC 37/8 by 85 runs

May 13 – SCC Divas beat USRC by 90 runs

May 20 Game 2 – SCC Divas 169 beat USRC 128 by 41 runs

Game 4– SCC Divas 126 beat CCC 109 by 17 runs

May 27 Game 1 –SCC Divas 125/5 beat HKCC 76/4 by 49 runs

Game 2 – SCC Divas 157/2 beat CCC 104/1 by 53 run.

Luho ng anak

Si Luz na tubong Iba, Zambales ay bago pa lang sa Hong Kong. Nakapagtapos siya ng pag-aaral dahil sa sariling sikap kaya ipinangako niya sa sarili na hindi niya ipaparanas ang hirap na pinagdaanan noon sa kanyang tatlong anak.

Pinili niya ang mangibang bayan para magtrabaho dahil ayaw niya mangyari na kapag humingi ne pera ang mga anak ay wala siyang maibigay. Ngunit taliwas ito sa payo ng isang Pinay na nakilala niya sa building nila, at 10 taon na sa Hong Kong.

Ayon sa Pinay mas makakabuting dumanas ng hirap ang mga bata upang matutong magsikap.  Ito raw ang huhubog sa kanila para mangarap at magsipag sa pag aaral.

Napag alaman ni Luz sa kwento nito na nagkaproblema ito sa anak dahil ibinigay nito ang lahat ng hilingin ng bata, tulad ng mamahaling telepono, laptop at iba pang gamit, ngunit nabarkada at nakabuntis sa murang edad.

Ayon pa sa Pinay katulad din niya si Luz noon na ayaw maghirap ang anak kaya pinalaki niya sa layaw. Ngayon ay problemado ito dahil umaaasa lang sa kanyang padala ang anak at kung hindi ito makapagbigay ay masasakit na salita ang naririnig.

Mababanaag sa mukha ng Pinay ang pagsisi at lungkot. Sinabi na lang ni Luz na ipapanalangin niya na nawa ay magbago ang anak nito. Susundin din daw niya ang payo nito para maiwasan na maligaw ng landas ang kanyang mga anak.

Tatandaan niya na ang dapat niyang ibigay ay iyong tamang pangangailangan lang nila, at hindi ang mga luho sa buhay. Si Luz ay anim na buwan pa lamang sa among naninirahan sa Tung Chung. – Ellen Asis

Ayaw magsayang ng oras sa pag-tambay

Dahil sa isang seminar ay nagkakilala sina Lena at Lei, at naging matalik na magkaibigan. Si Lena ay apat na taon na sa Hong Kong at laging dumadalo ng mga seminar ng iba't ibang organisasyon upang maging kapaki-pakinabang ang kanyang day off. Naengganyo nya si Lei na sumama sa kanyang mga lakad upang matuto rin.

Ayon kay  Lei sa unang pagkakataon na dumalo siya sa isang seminar na itinatag ng The SUN at nakilala niya si Lena ay saka lang naging kapaki-pakinabang ang araw ng kanyang pahinga.

Dati ay marami siyang hindi alam sa nangyayari sa kanyang paligid at laging lakwatsa lang ang ginagawa kapag araw ng linggo. Lagi siyang nasa Central at kung minsan ay nakikipag-inuman sa mga kaibigan kaya lumasing kung umuwi sa bahay ng amo sa Discovery Bay.

Ngunit ang lahat ng ito ay nabago nang maging kaibigan si Lena. Tuwing araw ng Linggo ay dumadalo na rin siya sa seminar at hindi na nakikipag-inuman.

Dahil sa mga natutunan sa seminar ay may naitatabi  na siya mula sa kanyang suweldo dahil hindi na siya gumagastos ng malaki o bumibili ng alak at pulutan. Masaya siya dahil sa nadadagdagan na ang kanyang kaalaman ay nakakatipid pa siya.

Si Lei ay tubong Pangasinan, edad 38 at may dalawang anak sa Pilipinas samantalang si Lena ay dalaga at naninilbihan sa Mid-Levels. Kadarating pa lang niya sa Hong Kong nang mapasama sa mga Pinay na aktibo sa pag volunteer sa Konsulado. Dahil dito ay marami na siyang nadaluhan na mga pagsasanay at pagtitipon na kinapupulutan ng aral. – Ellen Asis

Taga Pangasinan, hinandugan ng libreng pagsasanay

Ni George Manalansan

Sa kabila ng maraming lakad sa araw ng dayoff ay naisingit ng grupo ng mga taga Mapandan, Pangasinan ang isang importanteng pagsasanay, ang libreng Financial Literacy na isinagawa ng Mobile Outreach Team ng Card Hong Kong Foundation.

Ang pagsasanay ay ginawa sa paanan ng footbridge katabi ng Wanchai Police station.

Ginanap ang mabungang talakayan sa isang kalsada sa paanan ng footbridge katabi ng Wanchai Police station noong Mayo 6.

Natutunan ng mga nagsanay ang pagsusulat ng adhikain para sa tamang paghawak ng kanilang kinita, paraan ng pag-iipon, at pagharap sa hindi inaasahang pangyayari, sa kanilang unang sesyon.

Isinalarawan ng founder ng Card HK na si Edna Aquino ang ganitong uri ng pagsasanay sa mensaheng ito sa Facebook: “Humans on the streets. Classrooms without borders. These are Filipino  migrant workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong mentoring their “kapwa”  OFWs to become financially literate as a first step towards attaining economic freedom. Spaces for learning on a weekend especially for people like them are very restrictive and expensive.  Truly heroic.”

Ayon pa kay Aquino, aabot na sa 3,000 OFW ang dumaan sa ganitong uri ng pagsasanay sa tulong ng mga volunteer ng Card.

Laking pasasalamat naman ni Marilou de Vera, presidente ng Mapandan sampu ng mga miyembro, dahil sa kaalamang ipinaabot sa kanila, sa mismong istambayan nila. 

Ang sabi niya, “Maraming salamat  po sa mga trainors at marami kaming natutunan  mula sa Card HongKong Foundation. See you  next session po, excited na po lahat kami, salamat sa time na binigay niyo sa amin..”

Ang mga bagong nagtapos (itaas) na taga Mapandan, Pangasinan , kasama ang kanilang mga trainor.

Tunay nga na sa isang lider na katulad niya, napakahalaga na mahanapan ang mga  miyembro ng iyong grupo ng dagdag kaalaman.

Ang ikalawang sesyon ay gaganapin sa susunod na buwan na binubuo ng apat na malalaking usapin tungkol sa pagpapalago ng perang pinaghirapan.

Para sa mga grupo at asosasyon na nais ding sumailalim sa pagsasanay na dulot ng mobile outreach group na ito, magpadala lang ng mensahe sa Facebook Page: Card Hongkong Foundation o tumawag lang sa 9529 6392/ 5423 8196/ 9606 6810.

Mga migrante, hinikayat na sumali sa mga pagsasanay

Consul General Antonio A. Morales (inset) congratulates the graduates for their perseverance and determination to undergo training courses such as those offered free by CARD Hong Kong. He served as guest of honor and speaker during the graduation rites of CARD Hong Kong Foundation’s financial literacy course held on 29 April 2018 at Bayanihan Center in Kennedy Town.

Ni George Manalansan

Halos 200 migranteng manggagawa mula sa tatlong grupo ng mga nagsipagtapos ng Financial Literacy Program ng Card OFW Foundation ang nagtipon-tipon sa isang parangal na isinagawa sa Bayanihan Centre sa Kennedy Town noong Abr 29.

Naging panauhing pandangal si Consul  General Antonio Morales, na nagsabing iyon ang una niyang pagpunta sa Bayanihan Centre magmula nang dumating siya sa Hong Kong ilang buwan na ang nakakaraan.  Ikinuwento niya na nasa 180,000 ang mga OFW sa Singapore na karamihan ay mga skilled at professional worker, hindi katulad sa Hong Kong na higit na nakakalamang ang mga kasambahay sa tinatayang bilang ng mga Pilipino na 220, 000.

Kamakailan ay nagkaroon daw siya ng pakikipagpulong kay Chief Executive Carrie Lam at Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung. Kanila daw pinasalamatan ang mga Pilipino dahil sa naging ambag nila sa paglago ng ekonomiya ng Hong Kong. Datapwat may mga abusadong employer ay isa na daw ang Hong Kong sa mga lugar sa buong mundo kung saan mas protektado ang mga manggagawa. Sa kabila nito, hindi pa rin ganap na kinikilala ng Hong Kong ang serbisyo ng mga manggagawang dayuhan dahil hindi sila binibigyan ng karapatan na maging residente.

Dagdag pa ng ConGen Morales, hindi polisiya ng gobyerno ang magpadala ng trabahador sa ibang bansa, lalo na sa lugar na mataas ang bilang ng mga minamaltrato. Ngunit dahil sa kakulangan ng oportunidad sa ating bayan kaya hindi maiwasan ng mga Pilipino ang maghanap ng trabaho sa labas ng bansa.

Naikuwento din niya na napansin niya na sa gusali ng Konsulado ay may isang pautangan na mas mahaba pa ang pila minsan kaysa sa kanilang opisina. Talaga daw na malaking problema ang utangan sa Hong Kong kaya dapat na maghanda ang mga manggagawa para sa kanilang kinabukasan sa pamamagitan ng pag-iipon at pagdadagdag kaalaman, gaya ng ibinibigay ng Card.

Payo niya, “Bigyan ng aksiyon ang inyong mga pangarap at maghikayat pa sa kapwa na sumali sa Card Financial Literacy Program.” Dagdag payo pa niya, “knowledge is power”, “invest in your future,’  “make your dreams come true,” bago sinabi ang “Congratulations.”

Ayon naman sa sugo ng Card MRI sa Pilipinas na si Pauline Landicho, mayroon nang apat na milyon na kliyente ang grupo sa 82 probinsiya sa bansa, kung saan naabot na nila ang 95% ng lahat ng  mga munisipyo, at 96% ng mga barangay.

Ayon pa sa kanya, umabot na sa 2,514 ang nagtapos ng Financial Literacy at 1,578 naman ang nakinabang na sa mga produkto at serbisyo ng Card MRI. Pangarap daw ng Card na magkaroon ng marangal na buhay  ang bawat Pilipino kaya’t patuloy silang nagsisikap para tulungan ang mga komunidad na matupad ang kanilang mga pangarap.

Naging bisita rin si Fr. Jim Mulroney na sa simula’t sapul ay sumusuporta sa mga programa ng Card.

“Congratulations, this is the beginning of your success,” mensahe niya sa mga nagtapos.

Si Maria Ragasa, isa sa mga kliyente ng Card, ang nagsabi na mas pinili niya ang maging negosyante kaysa magtrabaho bilang nars sa Amerika. Dahil daw sa pinahiram na puhunan sa kanya ng Card ay napalago niya ang kanyang negosyo na buy ang sell. Kamakailan ay isa siya sa mga sumali sa product expo na ginanap sa Convention and Exhibition Centre sa Wanchai.

Nagbigay naman ng testimonya si Marcelino Bate ng batch 45 sa positibong pagbabago na idinulot sa kanya ng fin-lit program. Ayon sa kanya mahalaga na matuto din ang mga kapamilya ng OFW sa paghawak ng pera para maging katuwang sila sa pagsusulong nga kanilang kabuhayan.

Payo pa niya, maging totoo sa sarili at ipaalam sa pamilya ang hirap ng nangngamuhan sa ibayong dagat.

Para naman kay Sylvia Basilio na isa rin sa mga nagtapos mula sa batch 47, inabot na siya ng pitong taon sa Hong Kong na walang ipon para sa sarili dahil nauubos ang sahod para sa kapamilya. Ngayon ay nag-iba na ang kanyang pananaw, salamat sa mga natutunan niya mula sa Card.

Lahat ng mga nagbigay ng testimonya ay naghikayat sa mga kapwa nila migranteng mangagagawa na lumahok din sa pagsasanay ng Card.

Para sa susunod na libreng pagsasanay sa ika-23 ng Hunyo at ika-22 ng Hulyo, tumawag lamang sa 9529 8196  o  9606  6810 para magparehistro.

HK millionaire talks to OFWs on starting business

Jared King 

A group of Filipino domestic helpers had the rare treat of listening to a talk by one of Hong Kong’s successful young entrepreneurs, Jared King, on Apr 29 at the Consulate.

King, a Canadian who built a million-dollar media agency, E3 Reloaded, in just two years after arriving in Hong Kong in 2010 at age 26, spoke to the migrant workers on the topic of “How to start
a business”.

But he went beyond this, telling his listeners on how to choose the right business, beat the competition, and get customers.


King, who also founded Lender Friend, which advertisers itself as “an ethical money lender that will soon provide low-interest loans to domestic workers in Hong Kong, told the participants that before they can start a business, they must really believe in themselves first, then take action. It is a must, he said, that you are fully committed to what you want to do, and you make sure you get it done one step at a time.

Running a business requires focus and a proper mindset, he said.

He also said it is okay to make a mistake, but you must learn from the mistake to improve yourself and then do your best because 99% of the obstacles in setting up a business can be overcome.

He listed down four stages of a business, from forming an idea, experimenting, keeping your customers happy, and then growth. To succeed, he said you have to go out and experiment, try to do things differently and better. While doing the business, one should continue making friends and building a strong relationship with your customers. This you can do by talking to them a lot and asking them what they want, or what would make them happy.

Jared King, a Canadian who built a million-dollar media agency, joins the seminar participants in a group photo.

On hand to welcome King and the 91 participants in the seminar was Deputy Consul General Roderico Atienza who said starting a business will enable migrant workers to make a living and continue feeding and supporting their family when they return home.

Atienza told the participants to take the chance at every opportunity to ask questions, learn and pick up ideas from the speaker that will help them to establish a good business.

The seminar was a collaborative effort between the Consulate and Wimler Foundation. – Ellen Asis